Terms and Definitions

This is the stance in which all moves originate from. It is the same stance that you will use to address most threats. Whether it's unarmed defense, knife fighting, hand gun/long gun shooting or deploying a ballistic shield.

Hip and Chest facing threat in order to present the threat your chest plate and all of your weapons (Hands/Fist, Elbows/ Shoulders, Knees/Feet, Primary/Secondary Firearms, Blade if needed). This stance also provides you with natural body alignment. Back straight with chest slightly forward.

Knees bent, feet set in a modified boxer stance (Shoulder with apart, Secondary shooting side foot forward, Primary shooting side foot slightly to the rear with heal slightly off the ground, both toes facing the threats direction).

Perceied Angle of Threat:

This is the angle that the shield must constantly be facing. It can change as the threat moves or as the officer does. For the shield to be effective, this must be known and constantly checked.

Shield Follow Through:

Used when entering a threat zone and is applied when engaging and moving the shield into the threat maintaining temporary control of the threat. This is a great technique as well for prisoners in jail cells who refuse to comply with officer commands.

The Ballistic ShieldTHE BALLISTIC SHIELD IS A FORM OF PORTABLE COVER

It is similar to the soft body armor that most of us wear on patrol. It is imperative that the ballistic shield is used when appropriate and not in situations when it is obvious that its capabilities would be exceeded.

Limitations of Ballistic Material
National Institute of Justice

The NIJ is responsible for ensuring that ballistic material will stop certain projectiles. The NIJ only tests with certain rounds.

The ballistic shield to be issued is a threat level 3A. The NIJ states it will stop most pistol caliber rounds like 9mm, .357 and .44 magnum.

The NIJ level 3A ballistic shield will not stop and probably not even slow down rifle rounds. The following rounds will pass right through and defeat the ballistic 3A shield.

.223 (AR-15, M-16)

7.62x39 (SKS, AK-47)

Hunting caliber rounds like the 30-06 and the .308

The ballistic shield will protect you from the same rounds that your NIJ level 3A soft body armor will. Although the shield is hard, it does not make it tougher for a round to penetrate and defeat it.

However, there is new level IV Battle Bunkers that provide protective capabilities and high caliber rounds. These devices are ideal for long hallway operations.

Ballistic Material

Body armor cannot be stacked to achieve a higher level of protection.

The Shield is level 3A and if your body armor is level 3A they do not add up together to provide you with level 3 or 4 protection.

Ballistic material in a shield may cause a bullet to ricochet. Never stand alongside the shield. Be mindful of your surroundings particularly those moving alongside shield operators.

Communications

COVER

The request for COVER will be given only after a string of fire has been completed or after a threat has been neutralized and the officer(s) are in relative safety. COVER will be requested and/or utilized during Administrative Reloads or if the officer needs to address a weapons malfunction or stoppage. The request for COVER will be acknowledged by a back up officer or team member with the response of OK. The officer requesting COVER will not address his weapon issue and relinquish shield cover until he is acknowledged by another officer who will provide cover for his area responsibility.

OK

The request for COVER will be acknowledged by the closest officer with the response of OK. This officer will also assume responsibility for the area of responsibility that was being covered by the requesting officer. Only then will the officer requesting COVER address whatever issue he needs to deal with.

READY

This is the notification given by the requesting officer when he has addressed whatever issue he needed to address and is back in service and ready to move. The notification of READY will be acknowledged by the covering officer with OK.

OK

The covering officer will acknowledge the requesting officers notification of READY with the acknowledgement of OK.

MOVING

This command will be given when an officer wants to move. The officer will not move until he receives the acknowledgement of MOVE or is squeezed by an acknowledging officer.

MOVE

Is the acknowledgement to the command MOVING. The acknowledgment of MOVE can be replaced with a SQUEEZE to the inner portion of the lead officers TRICEP. Only then will the lead officer move.

CLEAR

After entering and clearing a room, each officer will give the notification of CLEAR. This will advise each officer in the room and out in the hallway that the room has been cleared and dominated.

BLUE COMING OUT

The request BLUE COMING OUT has to be acknowledged by officers in the hallway or exterior with the response COME OUT. An officer requesting BLUE COMING OUT, will not come out until he is acknowledged by exterior personnel. This is done to avoid a friendly fire/ Blue on Blue situation.

COME OUT

Will be the response acknowledging any officer requesting BLUE COMING OUT.